Withthesemeditations，DominicusPikedroveintothestreetof
Parker’sFalls，which，aseverybodyknows，isasthrivingavillageas
threecottonfactoriesandaslittingmillcanmakeit。The
machinerywasnotinmotion，andbutafewoftheshopdoorsunbarred，
whenhealightedinthestableyardofthetavern，andmadeithis
firstbusinesstoorderthemarefourquartsofoats。Hissecondduty，
ofcourse，wastoimpartMr。Higginbotham’scatastrophetothe
hostler。Hedeemeditadvisable，however，nottobetoopositiveasto
thedateofthedirefulfact，andalsotobeuncertainwhetheritwere
perpetratedbyanIrishmanandamulatto，orbythesonofErinalone。
Neitherdidheprofesstorelateitonhisownauthority，orthatof
anyoneperson；butmentioneditasareportgenerallydiffused。
Thestoryranthroughthetownlikefireamonggirdledtrees，and
becamesomuchtheuniversaltalkthatnobodycouldtellwhenceithad
originated。Mr。HigginbothamwasaswellknownatParker’sFallsas
anycitizenoftheplace，beingpartowneroftheslittingmill，anda
considerablestockholderinthecottonfactories。Theinhabitantsfelt
theirownprosperityinterestedinhisfate。Suchwasthe
excitement，thattheParker’sFallsGazetteanticipateditsregular
dayofpublication，andcameoutwithhalfaformofblankpaperanda
columnofdoublepicaemphasizedwithcapitals，andheadedHORRID
MURDEROFMR。HIGGINBOTHAM！Amongotherdreadfuldetails，the
printedaccountdescribedthemarkofthecordroundthedeadman’s
neck，andstatedthenumberofthousanddollarsofwhichhehadbeen
robbed；therewasmuchpathosalsoabouttheafflictionofhis
niece，whohadgonefromonefaintingfittoanother，eversinceher
unclewasfoundhangingontheSt。Michael’spear-treewithhis
pocketsinsideout。Thevillagepoetlikewisecommemoratedtheyoung
lady’sgriefinseventeenstanzasofaballad。Theselectmenhelda
meeting，and，inconsiderationofMr。Higginbotham’sclaimsonthe
town，determinedtoissuehandbills，offeringarewardoffivehundred
dollarsfortheapprehensionofhismurderers，andtherecoveryofthe
stolenproperty。
MeanwhilethewholepopulationofParker’sFalls，consistingof
shopkeepers，mistressesofboarding-houses，factorygirls，millmen，
andschoolboys，rushedintothestreetandkeptupsuchaterrible
loquacityasmorethancompensatedforthesilenceofthecotton
machines，whichrefrainedfromtheirusualdinoutofrespecttothe
deceased。HadMr。Higginbothamcaredaboutposthumousrenown，his
untimelyghostwouldhaveexultedinthistumult。Ourfriend
Dominicus，inhisvanityofheart，forgothisintendedprecautions，
andmountingonthetownpump，announcedhimselfasthebearerof
theauthenticintelligencewhichhadcausedsowonderfula
sensation。Heimmediatelybecamethegreatmanofthemoment，and
hadjustbegunaneweditionofthenarrative，withavoicelikea
fieldpreacher，whenthemailstagedroveintothevillagestreet。
Ithadtravelledallnight，andmusthaveshiftedhorsesat
Kimballton，atthreeinthemorning。
“Nowweshallhearalltheparticulars。”shoutedthecrowd。
Thecoachrumbleduptothepiazzaofthetavern，followedbya
thousandpeople；forifanymanhadbeenmindinghisownbusinesstill
then，henowleftitatsixesandsevens，tohearthenews。The
pedlar，foremostintherace，discoveredtwopassengers，bothof
whomhadbeenstartledfromacomfortablenaptofindthemselvesin
thecentreofamob。Everymanassailingthemwithseparatequestions，
allpropoundedatonce，thecouplewerestruckspeechless，though
onewasalawyerandtheotherayounglady。
“Mr。Higginbotham！Mr。Higginbotham！Tellustheparticulars
aboutoldMr。Higginbotham！”bawledthemob。“Whatisthecoroner’s
verdict？Arethemurderersapprehended？IsMr。Higginbotham’sniece
comeoutofherfaintingfits？Mr。Higginbotham！Mr。Higginbotham！！”
Thecoachmansaidnotaword，excepttoswearawfullyatthe
hostlerfornotbringinghimafreshteamofhorses。Thelawyerinside
hadgenerallyhiswitsabouthimevenwhenasleep；thefirstthing
hedid，afterlearningthecauseoftheexcitement，wastoproducea
largeredpocket-book。MeantimeDominicusPike，beinganextremely
politeyoungman，andalsosuspectingthatafemaletonguewould
tellthestoryasgliblyasalawyer’s，hadhandedtheladyoutofthe
coach。Shewasafine，smartgirl，nowwideawakeandbrightasa
button，andhadsuchasweetprettymouth，thatDominicuswouldalmost
asliefhaveheardalovetalefromitasataleofmurder。
“Gentlemenandladies，saidthelawyertotheshopkeepers，the
millmen，andthefactorygirls，“Icanassureyouthatsome
unaccountablemistake，or，moreprobably，awilfulfalsehood，
maliciouslycontrivedtoinjureMr。Higginbotham’scredit，hasexcited
thissingularuproar。WepassedthroughKimballtonatthreeo’clock
thismorning，andmostcertainlyshouldhavebeeninformedofthe
murderhadanybeenperpetrated。ButIhaveproofnearlyasstrong
asMr。Higginbotham’sownoraltestimony，inthenegative。Hereisa
noterelatingtoasuitofhisintheConnecticutcourts，whichwas
deliveredmefromthatgentlemanhimself。Ifinditdatedatten
o’clocklastevening。”
Sosaying，thelawyerexhibitedthedateandsignatureofthenote，
whichirrefragablyproved，eitherthatthisperverseMr。
Higginbothamwasalivewhenhewroteit，or-assomedeemedthemore
probablecase，oftwodoubtfulones-thathewassoabsorbedin
worldlybusinessastocontinuetotransactitevenafterhisdeath。
Butunexpectedevidencewasforthcoming。Theyounglady，after
listeningtothepedlar’sexplanation，merelyseizedamomentto
smoothhergownandputhercurlsinorder，andthenappearedatthe
taverndoor，makingamodestsignaltobeheard。
“Goodpeople。”saidshe，“IamMr。Higginbotham’sniece。”
Awonderingmurmurpassedthroughthecrowdonbeholdingherso
rosyandbright；thatsameunhappyniece，whomtheyhadsupposed，on
theauthorityoftheParker’sFallsGazette，tobelyingatdeath’s
doorinafaintingfit。Butsomeshrewdfellowshaddoubtedallalong，
whetherayoungladywouldbequitesodesperateatthehangingofa
richolduncle。
“Yousee。”continuedMissHigginbotham，withasmile，“thatthis
strangestoryisquiteunfoundedastomyself；andIbelieveImay
affirmittobeequallysoinregardtomydearuncleHigginbotham。He
hasthekindnesstogivemeahomeinhishouse，thoughIcontribute
tomyownsupportbyteachingaschool。IleftKimballtonthismorning
tospendthevacationofcommencementweekwithafriend，aboutfive
milesfromParker’sFalls。Mygenerousuncle，whenheheardmeon
thestairs，calledmetohisbedside，andgavemetwodollarsand
fiftycentstopaymystagefare，andanotherdollarformyextra
expenses。Hethenlaidhispocket-bookunderhispillow，shookhands
withme，andadvisedmetotakesomebiscuitinmybag，insteadof
breakfastingontheroad。Ifeelconfident，therefore，thatIleft
mybelovedrelativealive，andtrustthatIshallfindhimsoonmy
return。”
Theyoungladycourtesiedatthecloseofherspeech，whichwas
sosensibleandwellworded，anddeliveredwithsuchgraceand
propriety，thateverybodythoughtherfittobepreceptressofthe
bestacademyintheState。ButastrangerwouldhavesupposedthatMr。
HigginbothamwasanobjectofabhorrenceatParker’sFalls，andthata
thanksgivinghadbeenproclaimedforhismurder；soexcessivewas
thewrathoftheinhabitantsonlearningtheirmistake。Themillmen
resolvedtobestowpublichonorsonDominicusPike，onlyhesitating
whethertotarandfeatherhim，ridehimonarail，orrefreshhim
withanablutionatthetownpump，onthetopofwhichhehaddeclared
himselfthebearerofthenews。Theselectmen，byadviceofthe
lawyer，spokeofprosecutinghimforamisdemeanor，incirculating
unfoundedreports，tothegreatdisturbanceofthepeaceofthe
Commonwealth。NothingsavedDominicus，eitherfrommoblawora
courtofjustice，butaneloquentappealmadebytheyoungladyinhis
behalf。Addressingafewwordsofheartfeltgratitudetohis
benefactress，hemountedthegreencartandrodeoutoftown，under
adischargeofartilleryfromtheschoolboys，whofoundplentyof
ammunitionintheneighboringclay-pitsandmud-holes。Asheturned
hisheadtoexchangeafarewellglancewithMr。Higginbotham’s
niece，aball，oftheconsistenceofhastypudding，hithimslapin
themouth，givinghimamostgrimaspect。Hiswholepersonwasso
bespatteredwiththelikefilthymissiles，thathehadalmostamind
torideback，andsupplicateforthethreatenedablutionatthetown
pump；for，thoughnotmeantinkindness，itwouldnowhavebeenadeed
ofcharity。
However，thesunshonebrightonpoorDominicus，andthemud，an
emblemofallstainsofundeservedopprobrium，waseasilybrushed
offwhendry。Beingafunnyrogue，hisheartsooncheeredup；nor
couldherefrainfromaheartylaughattheuproarwhichhisstoryhad
excited。Thehandbillsoftheselectmenwouldcausethecommitment
ofallthevagabondsintheState；theparagraphintheParker’sFalls
GazettewouldbereprintedfromMainetoFlorida，andperhapsform
anitemintheLondonnewspapers；andmanyamiserwouldtremblefor
hismoneybagsandlife，onlearningthecatastropheofMr。
Higginbotham。Thepedlarmeditatedwithmuchfervoronthecharmsof
theyoungschoolmistress，andsworethatDanielWebsterneverspoke
norlookedsolikeanangelasMissHigginbotham，whiledefending
himfromthewrathfulpopulaceatParker’sFalls。
DominicuswasnowontheKimballtonturnpike，havingallalong
determinedtovisitthatplace，thoughbusinesshaddrawnhimoutof
themostdirectroadfromMorristown。Asheapproachedthesceneof
thesupposedmurder，hecontinuedtorevolvethecircumstancesin
hismind，andwasastonishedattheaspectwhichthewholecase
assumed。Hadnothingoccurredtocorroboratethestoryofthefirst
traveller，itmightnowhavebeenconsideredasahoax；buttheyellow
manwasevidentlyacquaintedeitherwiththereportorthefact；and
therewasamysteryinhisdismayedandguiltylookonbeing
abruptlyquestioned。When，tothissingularcombinationof
incidents，itwasaddedthattherumortalliedexactlywithMr。
Higginbotham’scharacterandhabitsoflife；andthathehadan
orchard，andaSt。Michael’spear-tree，nearwhichhealwayspassedat
nightfall：thecircumstantialevidenceappearedsostrongthat
Dominicusdoubtedwhethertheautographproducedbythelawyer，or
eventheniece’sdirecttestimony，oughttobeequivalent。Making
cautiousinquiriesalongtheroad，thepedlarfurtherlearnedthatMr。
HigginbothamhadinhisserviceanIrishmanofdoubtfulcharacter，
whomhehadhiredwithoutarecommendation，onthescoreofeconomy。
“MayIbehangedmyself。”exclaimedDominicusPikealoud，on
reachingthetopofalonelyhill，“ifI’llbelieveoldHigginbotham
isunhangedtillIseehimwithmyowneyes，andhearitfromhis
ownmouth！Andashe’sarealshaver，I’llhavetheministerorsome
otherresponsiblemanforanindorser。”
Itwasgrowingduskwhenhereachedthetoll-houseonKimballton
turnpike，aboutaquarterofamilefromthevillageofthisname。His
littlemarewasfastbringinghimupwithamanonhorseback，who
trottedthroughthegateafewrodsinadvanceofhim，noddedtothe
toll-gatherer，andkeptontowardsthevillage。Dominicuswas
acquaintedwiththetollman，and，whilemakingchange，theusual
remarksontheweatherpassedbetweenthem。
“Isuppose。”saidthepedlar，throwingbackhiswhiplash，to
bringitdownlikeafeatheronthemare’sflank，“youhavenotseen
anythingofoldMr。Higginbothamwithinadayortwo？”
“Yes，answeredthetoll-gatherer。“Hepassedthegatejustbefore
youdroveup，andyonderheridesnow，ifyoucanseehimthrough
thedusk。He’sbeentoWoodfieldthisafternoon，attendingasheriff’s
salethere。Theoldmangenerallyshakeshandsandhasalittlechat
withme；buttonight，henodded-asiftosay，’Chargemytoll，’and
joggedon；forwhereverhegoes，hemustalwaysbeathomebyeight
o’clock。”
